250 THE VITAMINES 



Maize 



Because of a possible etiological relationship of corn consumption 

 to pellagra, the numerous investigations on the nutritive value and 

 composition of corn and corn products are of special importance. 

 Bezzola (705) showed that corn does not provide an adequate diet 

 for the maintenance of guinea pigs in good health; they lose hair, 

 develop severe diarrhea and subsequently die. A difference between 

 the use of good and bad corn was not observed. Lucksch (706) 

 found that guinea pigs, fed on good corn, lost their hair, showed a 

 hyperemia of the intestinal mucosa and an enlargement of the adre- 

 nals. On a mixture of corn, flour and greens, they lost hair never- 

 theless, and developed paralysis of the hind legs and catarrh of the 

 small intestine. Corn was likewise shown to be inadequate for 

 rabbits and dogs, the results obtained in spring being more definite 

 than those in autumn. The blood of the experimental animals was 

 investigated and found sterile at all times, v. Neusser (707) 

 reported on a disease of horses, called "emmaisadura" in Mexico and 

 Colombia supposed to be caused by rotted corn. The symptoms of 

 this disease are emaciation, dizziness, lethargy, cramps, wildness, loss 

 of hair and teeth and decay of the hoofs. Hoist (708) remarked on 

 the frequent occurrence of scorbutic symptoms in pellagra, especially 

 the porosity of the bones. He repeated Lucksch's experiments with 

 guinea pigs and came to the conclusion that the disease described by 

 him could be prevented by the addition of fresh cabbage. In par- 

 ticular, the constant loss of hair could be overcome although the 

 experiments were carried out in spring. The whole syndrowe was 

 thereupon regarded by Hoist as scurvy. Baglioni (709) likewise 

 carried out some feeding experiments with corn products on guinea 

 pigs. In the light of modern investigations, Hoist was right when he 

 characterized as scurvy, the disease developed by guinea pigs fed on 

 corn. Since in most corn-feeding experiments, no antiscorbutic was 

 given, the resulting condition was complicated by scorbutic symptoms 

 to such an extent, that these investigations are of no value in the 

 explanation of pellagra. The problem appears in a different light 

 when birds are used as experimental animals. Ohler (I.e. 262) 

 observed that when decorticated maize is fed to chickens, they 



